Potpourri 2018 LipidSpin Articles | National Lipid Association Online

JAMES A. UNDERBERG, MD, MS, FNLA	From the NLA President: Lessons for a Lifetime It really is fascinating how fast time flies because it seems like just yesterday I was taking the reins from Joyce Ross, MSN, CRNP, FNLA and beginning my term as National Lipid Association President. And here I am now about to wish Alan Brown, MD, FNLA the very best as he begins his term. As I reflect on my time as President, I first want to thank my tremendous Executive Committee colleagues — Alan Brown MD, FNLA; Antonio Gotto, MD, DPhil, FNLA; Joyce Ross, MSN, CRNP, FNLA; Dean... more
DANIEL E. SOFFER, MD, FACP, FNLA	From the LipidSpin Editor: A Look at the LipidSpin Process Welcome to another Potpourri issue of LipidSpin. As you can see for yourself, this issue is a “grab-bag” of different lipid topics from clinicians, researchers, active NLA members and rising leaders. I’d like to take this opportunity to review the overriding purpose and process of our journal. There are two NLA journals — the Journal of Clinical Lipidology is peer-reviewed with oversight by Editor-in-Chief John R. Guyton, MD, FNLA, and a “who’s who”... more
KAYE-EILEEN WILLARD, MD, FNLA	From the LipidSpin Editor: The Spectrum of Lipidology Broad and Bright When I entered medical school at the University of Washington in Seattle quite a few years ago, I soon came to the realization that cardiovascular disease was one of my primary areas of academic interest. Little did I know however, that I would come to love a specialty that did not even exist at the time – clinical lipidology. As a medical student, amongst many legendary professors, I had the good fortune to have Drs. John Brunzell and William Hazzard as my teachers who lit my first... more
JANE WANG, BS SETH S. MARTIN, MD, MHS	Case Study: A New Horizon in LDL-C Estimation A 47-year-old, non-smoking man with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] level, and a family history significant for dyslipidemia and premature coronary artery disease (CAD) presents to clinic for routine medical appointment. His lipid profile reveals total cholesterol (TC) level of 160 mg/dL, triglycerides (TG) of 298 mg/ dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level of 41 mg/dL and Friedewald estimated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)... more
ZAHID AHMAD, MD ABHIMANYU GARG, MD	The Palms of Rare Lipid Disorders Several genetic lipid disorders manifest with physical examination findings in the palms, making it important for lipid specialists to examine the palms of each patient. A, B: A 23-year-old Honduran woman, a recent immigrant to the United States, was found on her first presentation to our hospital system to have a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of 727 mg/dL (total cholesterol [TC] 783 mg/dL, triglycerides [TG] 76 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein... more
KATHERINE WILEMON JOSHUA W. KNOWLES, MD, PhD	The FH Foundation: Our Journey and Destination Those born with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) know better than anyone else that they have a family history of early heart disease. Many know they have a cholesterol level that is very high to “off the charts.” But far too many of the 30 million people living with FH suffer the impact of aggressive cardiovascular disease, often in the prime of their lives, without ever hearing the words “familial hypercholesterolemia.” We do not know how many individuals die without ever knowing they... more
MINAKSHI BISWAS, MD SHU CHANG, MD EDWARD A. GILL, MD, FNLA	Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring: A Brief Update and Look to the Future Introduction Coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) was first introduced in the early 1990s as a method for early coronary artery disease (CAD) detection. Since then, there have been significant advancements in CACS from a technological standpoint, but more importantly, continuing compilation of supportive data has led to more widespread use, but certainly not universal acceptance. A strong argument can be made that CACS imaging adds the most incremental... more
CHRIS J. ROWAN, MD, FACC GREGORY S. THOMAS, MD, MPH, FACC, MASNC	Can Coronary Artery Disease Be Prevented? Lessons Learned From Ancient Mummies to the Contemporary Tsimane of the Bolivian Amazon In 2009, a 75-year-old Tsimane man and his wife awoke and went out into the rain forest around their home in the Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia to collect jajata, a palm like plant used to make roofing. Walking home in the afternoon, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. His wife shook him and after a few minutes he regained consciousness. He complained of chest pain radiating down his left arm. He was having trouble breathing but managed to stand and walk home. He was uncomfortable all... more
JAMES TRIPPI, MD, FACC, FNLA	Liver Function Test Elevation from Other Causes Attributed to Statins A 73-year-old woman with coronary and peripheral arterial disease with hyperlipidemia was referred for a lipidology consult because of elevated liver function tests (LFTs) while on rosuvastatin. Aspartate amino transferase (AST) rose from a baseline of 26 to 120 and alanine amino transferase (ALT) from 15 to 132. She did not drink alcohol nor take other hepato-toxic pharmaceuticals. An abdominal ultrasound showed normal liver parenchyma, a 7 mm hepatic cyst and a post-cholecystectomy pattern... more
JEREMY VAN'T HOF, MD DANIEL DUPREZ, MD, PhD, FNLA	Lipid-Lowering Therapy in Peripheral Artery Disease: Stepping in the Right Direction Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis affecting 20% of Americans over the age of 80¹ and over 200 million people worldwide.² As well as being common, it also carries high mortality and morbidity; and yet, patients with PAD are overlooked on multiple levels. Many go unrecognized in clinical practice. The PARTNERS study observed that only half of PAD patients were recognized to have the disease by their physicians.^{3... more}
DIPIKA JAIRAM GOPAL, MD DANIEL E. SOFFER, MD, FACP, FNLA DANIELLE FORTUNA, MD	Lipoprotein X in Graft versus Host Disease of the Liver Abstract This case illustrates a common presentation of a rare phenomenon that should be highlighted so that clinicians are aware of the signs, implications, and management of LpX syndrome. Patient XY is a 30-year-old nonsmoker who was referred to our lipid clinic because of newly recognized severe hypercholesterolemia. She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 28, went through several cycles of chemotherapy, and ultimately required allogeneic stem... more
BRUCE A. WARDEN, PharmD, BCPS-AQ CARDIOLOGY P. BARTON DUELL, MD, FNLA	Management of Statin Treatment in Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Introduction Solid organ transplantation (SOT), encompassing kidney, liver, heart and to a lesser extent pancreas and lung, has become routine care for optimal treatment of end-stage disease in many patients.^1,2 Refinements in transplantation protocols have helped preserve transplanted organs while avoiding post-transplantation morbidity and mortality. Improved longevity in this population has shifted the focus from preservation of the transplanted organ to... more
MARINA CUCHEL, MD, PhD ARCHNA BAJAJ, MD, MSCE	Emerging Therapeutics in Clinical Lipidology – an Update After an article by Drs. Peter H. Jones and James M. McKenney in LipidSpin one year ago¹ that reported on emerging therapeutics in clinical lipidology, it is still a very exciting time for the development of novel treatments for dyslipidemic patients. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and mechanistic studies in patients affected by monogenic forms of dyslipidemia have provided strength and rationale behind novel targets for treating lipid abnormalities and... more
FRAN BURKE MS, RD Moderator: DANIEL SOFFER, MD, FACP, FNLA	Member Spotlight and Practical Pearls: Fran Burke, MS, RD DS: Thank you for joining me today Fran. First, I would like to introduce myself and then you to the LipidSpin readers. I am Dan Soffer, a full-time internist, clinical lipidologist and educator at the University of Pennsylvania. I am also President-Elect of the Northeast Lipid Association (NELA) and co-editor of LipidSpin. I have had the opportunity of working with my guest, Fran Burke, MS, RD, who is a registered dietitian and my good friend, for more... more
	2017 Foundation of the National Lipid Association Annual Report